Many Flavours of Wellingborough CIC are returning to The Castle theatre with youth activities

Seven years since The Castle Youth Theatre shut down, Many Flavours of Wellingborough CIC is returning with youth activities.

Many Flavours is run by former participations of Castle Youth Theatre, with some who began in 2008.

They're running a free screening of Beauty and The Beast and a live poetry workshop and performance with Coventry's Poet Laureate.

A spokesman said: “I was in primary school when I first joined The Castle Youth Theatre.

"Drama has always been an interest for me.

"What was so exciting was the opportunity to perform in a proper theatre, on a proper stage, instead of a school hall.

"By the time I was a teenager, I was going there three days a week; taking part, performing and helping younger people develop as performers.

"This was a highlight of my childhood, I invited my friends to join the group and some joked I was 'King of The Castle' because I was so obsessed.

"Sadly, in 2016 youth participation was no longer financially viable.

"Many young people were unable to perform that year, after working so hard.

"What excites me about going back to The Castle is to give our young people the opportunity to feel they are performing on a real stage.

"That they are becoming real performers and that they can be who they want to be.

"At Many Flavours of Wellingborough CIC, we run drama sessions free-at-the-point-of-access.

"We target young people who do not normally have the opportunity to take part.

"Wellingborough is recognised as a deprived town, while we may not be preparing them for lives as performers, we're giving our young people the opportunity to dream bigger.

"As an academic now, I had to dream big to go to university.

"I did not have parents with degrees.

"I think many young people don't have a clear idea of what the future will be like and do not have many opportunities in our area.

"What we're trying to do at Many Flavours of Wellingborough is provide young people with the ability to dream bigger.

"To make the next generation more creative, better team workers and find ways to improve their local community.

"But, the only way to do this is to lead by example.

"This is why I'm staying in Northamptonshire, despite working at the University of York, to show the young people we believe in them and their futures.

"We'd love to see locals of Wellingborough join us on our community day on May 20 to support our young people and show that people support the arts in Wellingborough.

"By running free activities, supported by Made With Many, Wellingborough Town Council and Cinema For All, we can give Wellingborough young people activities to take part in.

"This will give them a greater sense of community, it will show that they have opportunities and a community that will support them.

"We're working, like Father Ben and the excellent leaders and volunteers at St Mark's in Queensway, Kam and the team at The Compound in the Hemmingwell, Kevin and the team at Victoria Centre (who have supported us every step of the way) and many others to make Wellingborough a better place to grow up in.

"This event will be the beginning of a conversation and the next step in how to make Wellingborough a place where young people belong.”